Angle clip for float mounting of a vertical stud to a horizontal roof angle

ABSTRACT

An angle clip for float mounting of a vertical stud to a horizontal roof angle includes rigid first and second flanges, wherein the first flange is mounted orthogonally to the second flange, and the first flange is adapted for rigid mounting to a first side of the vertical stud. The second flange is forming as an inverted channel between a second side of the stud, which is adjacent and orthogonal to the first side of the stud, and a planar channel-forming member of the second flange, so that an opening of the channel opens downwardly. The channel-forming member is substantially parallel to the second side of the stud when mounted thereon with the first flange mounted to the first side of the stud. The channel is sized to receive in snug vertical sliding engagement in the channel the upper vertical flange of the horizontal roof angle.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of metal fabricated buildingstructures and in particular to a device for the mounting of ahorizontal roof angle to the vertical studs of a metal fabricatedbuilding structure so as to allow vertical floating movement of thehorizontal roof angle relative to the vertical studs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is well known in the prior art to construct buildings using metalbuilding elements, for example, building walls using vertical studsbetween horizontal tracks and then mounting a roof supporting structureincluding joists and the like to the walls and in particular to thevertical studs. One method known to the applicant in the prior art wasthe use of an L-shaped bracket which consisted of two metal platesmounted to each other along a single common edge. The L-shaped bracketwas mounted both to a vertical stud and to a horizontal roof supportingmember, where conventionally the roof supporting members is referred toas a roof angle or otherwise alternatively sometimes referred to as “rediron”.

Using the prior art L-shaped brackets for mounting the horizontal roofangles to the vertical studs entailed framing of the walls vertically inplace, that is, constructing the wall in its vertical orientation onestud at a time which precluded prefabrication of the wall frame as nowfacilitated in the present invention as described below.

In the prior art, applicant is aware of U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,594 whichissued Oct. 3, 2000 to Hudson for a Roof Angle Attachment Device. Hudsondescribes his invention as an L-shaped bracket which supports a verticalstud, where the L-shaped bracket has a clip attached to the top of oneside of the bracket, and where the clip is adapted to securely attach toa roof angle. The opposite side of the L-shaped bracket has predrilledholes so that it may be fastened to a stud. Although Hudson teachesmoveably attaching the clip on the L-shape bracket to a roof angle sothat the bracket may be moved along the roof angle to a pre-selectedposition, because the height of the clip portion is taught to be in arange between ten percent and twenty percent of the height of thebracket, the bracket and in particular the clip will release the roofangle from under the clip upon deflection of the roof under, forexample, a snow load. In applicant's experience roof deflection underloading of the roof may cause, for example, a one inch drop in the roofelevation relative to the vertical studs. Hudson neither teaches norsuggests that his invention is adapted to allow vertical deflection ofthe roof angle due to roof loading without causing the roof angle torelease from the clip mounted to the vertical studs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In summary, the angle clip for float mounting of a vertical stud to ahorizontal roof angle may be characterized in one aspect as includingrigid first and second flanges, wherein the first flange is mountedorthogonally to the second flange, and the first flange adapted forrigid mounting to a first side of the vertical stud. The second flangeis forming as an inverted channel between a second side of the stud,which is adjacent and orthogonal to the first side of the stud, and aplanar channel-forming member of the second flange, so that an openingof the channel opens downwardly. The channel-forming member issubstantially parallel to the second side of the stud when mountedthereon with the first flange mounted to the first side of the stud. Thechannel is sized to receive in snug vertical sliding engagement in thechannel the upper vertical flange of the horizontal roof angle. Thechannel-forming member extends vertically a distance substantially equalto, or greater than, the sum of a deflection allowance for verticallydownward deflection under load of the roof angle and a bearingallowance.

In a preferred embodiment, the second flange includes a planar adjacentmember for mounting flush against the second side of the stud. Theadjacent member forms a parallel array with, and is spaced from, thechannel-forming member. A rigid vertex is mounted between the adjacentmember and the channel-forming member so that the channel is defined bythe adjacent member, the channel-forming member and the vertex.

The vertex may be mounted across upper-most edges of the adjacent memberand the channel-forming member. The adjacent member has a correspondingheight. The height of the channel-forming member is a percentage of theheight of the adjacent member. The percentage may be in the range ofsubstantially fifty to one-hundred percent, or more restrictively in therange of substantially seventy-five to one-hundred percent, or morerestrictively still the percentage may be substantially ninety percent.Advantageously the height of the channel-forming member is less than aheight of the upper vertical flange of the horizontal roof angle.

In one embodiment of the present invention at least one crease is formedlaterally across the vertex so as to increase bending resistance of thevertex to bending moments bending the channel-forming member away fromthe adjacent member about the vertex.

A method according to the present invention of float mounting of atleast one vertical stud in a wall to a horizontal roof angle using anangle clip such as described above may include the steps of:

-   -   a) pre-fabricating a wall having a substantially parallel        plurality of the studs;    -   b) positioning the wall, once fabricated, against the horizontal        roof angle so that the second side of the stud is adjacent and        substantially flush against the upper vertical flange of the        horizontal roof angle;    -   c) sliding the channel down onto the upper vertical flange so        that the upper vertical flange substantially entirely fills the        channel and so that the first flange is adjacent and        substantially flush against the first side of the stud; and,    -   d) rigidly fastening the first flange to the first side of the        stud.

Presuming that the amount of vertical deflection of the roof angle doesnot exceed the height of the upper vertical flange of the roof angleless the minimum bearing allowance a preliminary step in the presentinvention is to estimate or determine the deflection allowance and thebearing allowance so that the appropriate clip may be provided, that iswhere the height of the channel-forming member of the clip issubstantially equal to or greater than the sum of the deflectionallowance and the bearing allowance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1, in perspective view, an angle clip according to one embodimentof the present invention positioned for sliding mating of the channelportion of the clip onto the upstanding portion of a section of roofangle.

FIG. 2 is, in side elevation view, the angle clip of FIG. 1 rigidlymounted to a vertical stud and float mounted onto a roof angle, the roofangle supporting a roof.

FIG. 3 is, in perspective view, the angle clip and a section of roofangle of FIG. 1 with the roof angle mounted into the channel portion ofthe clip.

FIG. 4 is the view of FIG. 3 with the roof angle deflected downwardlyrelative to the clip.

FIG. 5 is, in side elevation view, the view of FIG. 2 with the roofremoved and so as to illustrate the relative deflection and clip bearingallowances.

FIG. 6 is the view of FIG. 1 illustrating an alternative embodiment ofthe angle clip wherein the channel-forming member 14 b is of the sameheight as the planar portion 14 a.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the angle clip of FIG. 1illustrating more clearly the creases 26 in Vertex 14 c.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The present invention allows for the prefabrication of walls constructedusing metal studs, and in particular, walls which, once erected, havevertical studs. Using the angle clips according to the present inventionto attach the vertical wall studs to the red iron or horizontal roofangles supporting the roof, for example, a twenty foot wall may beprefabricated while lying on the ground surface and then stood up so asto bring the studs in the wall to a vertical orientation resting againstthe red iron. Once the wall is brought to the vertical the clipsaccording to the present invention may then be slideably mounted ontothe vertical upstanding flange of the horizontal roof angle by slidingthe channel portion of the clip down onto the upstanding flange of theroof angle. The free end of the clip which extends perpendicularly fromthe channel portion of the clip is then secured to the side or webportion of the vertical stud which also extends perpendicularly awayfrom the roof angle. The roof, which may include steel ribbed so-called“Q-deck”, sits on the horizontal roof angle supports. When the roofexperiences a heavy loading for example such as a snow load, the roofmay be depressed by the weight of the load thereby deflecting downwardlyits supporting structure including the roof angle. The deflection may beup to approximately one inch of deflection. The angle clip according tothe present invention is rigidly mounted to a corresponding verticalstud in the wall. However, and because the channel portion of the angleclip is only slideably mounted onto the upstanding flange of the roofangle, downward deflection of the roof angle only results in relativemovement between the channel portion and the upstanding flange. That isdownward deflection of the roof angle merely slides the upstandingflange of the roof angle downwardly relative to the channel portion ofthe clip, without releasing the roof angle from its mounting to thestud.

Thus as seen in the accompanying figures wherein similar characters ofreference denote corresponding parts in each view, angle clip 10includes a first rigid planar flange 12 mounted at right angles at andalong one edge thereof to a second flange 14. Flange 14 includes a rigidplanar portion 14 a, a substantially parallel planar channel-formingportion 14 b substantially coextensive with planar portion 14 a, andrigidly mounted thereto a rigid vertex 14 c extending between and alongthe length of both planar portion 14 a and channel-forming portion 14 bso as to define a channel 14 d therebetween.

As seen in FIG. 2, once the prefabricated wall including therepresentative metal stud 16 is elevated to the vertical so that themetal studs in the wall are themselves vertical and resting against rediron or horizontal roof angle 18, angle clip 10 is mounted onto theupstanding flange 18 a of roof angle 18 by sliding flange 14 downwardlyin direction A so as to snugly slideably engage channel 14 d overupstanding flange 18 a. As better described below, advantageously theheight “a” of channel 14 d, and in particular the height ofchannel-forming portion 14 b, is a substantial percentage of, if notsubstantially equal to, the corresponding height “b” of upstandingflange 18 a. Thus, with angle clip 10 mounted onto roof angle 18, theupstanding portion 18 a is almost entirely encased within channel 14 dalong the length of roof angle 18 corresponding to the length of flange14, almost entirely encased within channel 14 d.

Flange 14 is positioned on roof angle 18 so as to bring flange 12 flushwith the side 16 a of stud 16. Flange 12 is then rigidly mounted to side16 a by inserting fasteners 20 through apertures 22.

Once the roof 24 is then subsequently constructed and resting on thehorizontal flange 18 b of roof angle 18, roof angle 18 is free todeflect downwardly in direction B thereby resulting in slidingtranslation downwardly of roof angle 18 relative to angle clip 10 suchas depicted by way of example in the progression between FIGS. 3 and 4.

Creases or grooves 26 better seen in FIG. 7 are formed in vertex 14 cand extend laterally across the vertex. Creases 26 assist in resistingoutward bending of channel-forming portion 14 b in direction C as aresult of lateral loading of the channel for example as a consequence ofwind loading against the walls.

For a particular height “a” of an angle clip 10, and given a verticaldeflection allowance “c” as better seen in FIG. 5, the height “a” ofclip 10 relative to the height “b” of upstanding flange 18 a must, for amaximum vertical deflection allowance “c”, provide for a minimum clipbearing allowance “d”. So for example, where height “a” is two inchesand height “b” is two and one-quarter inches, and given a verticaldeflection allowance “c” of one inch, if clip 10 is initially snuglymounted onto upstanding flange 18 a prior to loading of roof 24, thenupon a maximum deflection of one inch, the clip bearing allowance “d”will be also one inch. Thus in this example, the ratio of deflectionallowance “c” to clip bearing allowance “d” is approximately ninetypercent, where height “a” is the sum of deflection allowance “c” andclip bearing allowance “d”.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of theforegoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible inthe practice of this invention without departing from the spirit orscope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to beconstrued in accordance with the substance defined by the followingclaims.

1. An angle clip for float mounting of a vertical stud to a horizontalroof angle, the clip comprising: rigid first and second flanges, saidfirst flange mounted orthogonally to said second flange, said firstflange adapted for rigid mounting to a first side of a vertical stud,said second flange forming an inverted channel between a second side ofthe stud adjacent and orthogonal to the first side of the stud, and aplanar channel-forming member of said second flange, so that an openingof said channel opens downwardly, said channel-forming member beingsubstantially parallel to the second side of the stud when mountedthereon with said first flange mounted to the first side of the stud,said channel sized to receive in snug vertical sliding engagement insaid channel the upper vertical flange of a horizontal roof angle forsupporting a roof, wherein said channel-forming member has acorresponding height which extends vertically a distance substantiallyequal to or greater than the sum of a deflection allowance forvertically downward deflection under load of the roof angle and abearing allowance.
 2. The angle clip of claim 1 wherein said secondflange includes a planar adjacent member for mounting flush against thesecond side of the stud in parallel array with, and spaced from, saidchannel-forming member, and a rigid vertex mounted therebetween so thatsaid channel is defined by said adjacent member, said channel-formingmember and said vertex.
 3. The angle clip of claim 2 wherein said vertexis mounted across upper-most edges of said adjacent member and saidchannel-forming member.
 4. The angle clip of claim 3 wherein saidadjacent member has a corresponding height and wherein said height ofsaid channel-forming member is a percentage of said height of saidadjacent member, and wherein said percentage is in the range ofsubstantially fifty to one-hundred percent.
 5. The angle clip of claim 4wherein said range is substantially seventy-five to one-hundred percent.6. The angle clip of claim 5 wherein said percentage is substantiallyninety percent.
 7. The angle clip of claim 2 further comprising at leastone crease formed laterally across said vertex so as to increase bendingresistance of said vertex to bending moments bending saidchannel-forming member away from said adjacent member about said vertex.8. The angle clip of claim 1 wherein said height of said channel-formingmember is less than a height of the upper vertical flange of thehorizontal roof angle.
 9. A method of float mounting of at least onevertical stud in a wall to a horizontal roof angle using an angle clipwhich includes rigid first and second flanges, said first flange mountedorthogonally to said second flange, said first flange adapted for rigidmounting to a first side of the vertical stud, said second flangeforming an inverted channel between a second side of the stud adjacentand orthogonal to the first side of the stud, and a planarchannel-forming member of said second flange, so that an opening of saidchannel opens downwardly, said channel-forming member beingsubstantially parallel to the second side of the stud when mountedthereon with said first flange mounted to the first side of the stud,said channel sized to receive in snug vertical sliding engagement insaid channel the upper vertical flange of the horizontal roof angle forsupporting a roof, wherein said channel-forming member has a heightwhich extends vertically a distance substantially equal to or greaterthan the sum of a deflection allowance for vertically downwarddeflection under load of the roof angle and a bearing allowance, themethod comprising the steps of: a) pre-fabricating a wall having asubstantially parallel plurality of said studs; b) positioning the wall,once fabricated, against said horizontal roof angle so that said secondside of said stud is adjacent and substantially flush against said uppervertical flange of the horizontal roof angle; c) sliding said channeldown onto said upper vertical flange so that said upper vertical flangesubstantially entirely fills said channel and so that said first flangeis adjacent and substantially flush against said first side of saidstud; and, e) rigidly fastening said first flange to said first side ofsaid stud.
 10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step ofdetermining said deflection allowance and said bearing allowance andproviding said clip wherein said height of said channel-forming memberis substantially equal to or greater than said sum.
 11. The method ofclaim 10 wherein said second flange includes a planar adjacent memberfor mounting flush against the second side of the stud in parallel arraywith, and spaced from, said channel-forming member, and a rigid vertexmounted therebetween so that said channel is defined by said adjacentmember, said channel-forming member and said vertex and wherein saidadjacent member has a corresponding height and wherein said height ofsaid channel-forming member is a percentage of said height of saidadjacent member, and wherein said percentage is provided in the range ofsubstantially fifty to one-hundred percent.
 12. The method of claim 11wherein said percentage is provided in the range of substantiallyseventy-five to one-hundred percent.
 13. The method of claim 12 whereinsaid percentage is provided as substantially ninety percent.